There are many displays for the self-service merchandising of eyewear (eyeglasses). But none are optimal for customer, retailer, distributor, and manufacturer needs.
One common type of self-service merchandising display uses the bridge and temples of each pair of eyeglasses to support those eyeglasses in a position approximating the position of the eyeglasses when worn on a human face. Such displays typically have holes through which the temples are inserted and a rod or similar support for the bridge. A display of this type requires that a customer exercise a certain care when removing and replacing the eyeglasses. Such care may not be exercised by a customer in a hurry. The lack of necessary care may potentially result in dropped eyewear, product damage, customer frustration, and a failure to purchase. Additionally, when a bridge-and-temple display is tall and used by a standing customer, those glasses on the lower levels are not displayed at an appropriate angle for viewing and critiquing. The customer is able to see only the tops of the frames.
Another type of self-service merchandising display has a substantially horizontal flat surface upon which the eyeglasses are displayed in a folded configuration. Such a display may fail to exhibit the eyeglasses in a position approximating the position of the eyeglasses when worn by a person standing or sitting. At best, the folded eyeglasses are left “staring up,” as though worn by a person lying on his/her back. More often, the flat surface of the display may cause the eyeglasses to assume a back-tilting attitude in which the “lower” edges of the lenses are above the “upper” edges. Eyeglasses displayed in such an unnatural attitude may fail to catch the eye of a customer. This may in turn result in lost sales.
An alternative “flat-topped” display may have the flat display areas in steps. With such displays, the stepping brings the upper display areas under the bottoms of other display areas when the displays are mounted vertically. This greatly decreases the visibility of the upper-area eyeglasses on the lower displays.
Most self-service merchandising displays lack storage of additional inventory that is easily and efficiently accessed by the customer. That is, the customer normally has access only to those eyeglasses then on display. When all of a given type (style and/or strength) of eyeglasses is gone from the display, the customer is denied that type. This, too, may result in lost sales.
All self-service marketing displays occupy space. In a retail establishment, space is usually at a premium. This is especially true of newsstands, gift shops, boutiques, and similar establishments. A successful display should have a plurality of mounting options in order to accommodate a plurality of retail situations.
To be effective, a display must catch the eye of passersby, drawing them into a retail establishment. Once inside, the passersby become potential customers. The display must then be arranged to provide a pleasurable experience (i.e., one with maximum of accessibility and a minimum of frustration) in order to turn the potential customers into real customers and completed sales.
Secondarily, a display that successfully draws passersby into a retail establishment converts them into potential customers for other merchandise as well.